Combined ax and blade guard therefor



Feb. 23' 1925.

'J.D.CASE 5 COMBINED AX. AND BLADE GUARD THEREFbR Filed Margh 12, 1925? Patented Feb. 23, 1926.

UNITE A starts was JOHN D. CASE, OF CLEAN, NEW YORK.

co BInEn AX AND BLADE GI IARDTTHEREFQ R."

Application filed March 12, 1925. Serial No. 15,1 08.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J Ol-IN D. Case, a citi zen. of the United States, residingatOlean, in the county of (.lattaraugus and State of New York, hav invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Axes and Blade Guards Therefor, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvementsin axes and has as one of its objects to provide, in connection with a hunting or camping ax, or in fact, an ax of any'of the ordinary types, a novel construction of guard torihe cutting edge of the ax blade which, when in one position of adjustment, will cover the cutting ed ge and not only prevent ,dullingi or nicking of the edge through contact with other objects, but will also prevent cutting of ones hands or clothing, particularly when the ax is employed inhunting or camping. In this connection, the invention also has as its object to so construct and mount the guard that when notin use, the same may be adjusted to assume a position where it will not in any way interferewith the ordinary use of the ax, so that the guard may remain permanently assembled with theax and will not be liable to be lost, as would be thecase it it were detachable and required to be applied to purpose.

Another object of the invention is to pro- 'vide novel means whereby the guard maybe held in either of its positions of adjustment without likelihood of displacement.

I Another important object of the, invention is to provide a novel construction of handle foran ax which handle will be more subk stantial and durable than the ordinary handle, lighter in Weight, and of such construction as to prevent vibration of the.

handle, through transference of the force of impact of. the blade and which vibration is presentin ordinary axes and causes annoyance to the user.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view partly in side eleva tion and partly in longitudinal section, illustrating the ax embodying the invention, the blade guard being shown in full lines in guarding position and in dotted lines in the position to which it will be adjusted when the ax is to be used in the usual manner.

Figure 2 is vertical'transverse sectional the ax in order to serve its view takensubstantially on the line 22 of Fi ure 1., looking in the direction indicated by thearrows Figure 3 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken substantially on theline 3--3 of Figure 1. i

Figure 4 is afragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional View illustrating a slight modification of the invention.

In the drawings, the a blade is illustrated as comprising the usual 'head-l hav ing theusual blade portion 2 provided with the cutting'edge 3. The handle of the ax is indicated in general by the numeral 4 and will presently be more specifically described. The blade guard is indicated in general by the numeral 5 and the said guard is preferably made from steel and is, therefore, 1-esilientL The guard comprises a body-portion 6 which is curvedto conform to'the curvature of the cutting edge 3 of the ax blade, and the said body portion 6 is formed with laterally and upwardly curved longitudinally extending flange "1' at its lower edge, which flange is designed to extend cont nuously opposite the cutting edge of the blade and relatively close thereto when the guard is in' position to serve its useful purpose. The guard further includes two side members indicated by the numeral 8, which are integral with the ends of the body mem her 6 of the guard and extend approximately parallel to each other and approximately at right angles tothegeneralline of extent or the said bodymember(3.v Those side meminner edges with sockets 10into'which the pintles 9 are sprung and permanently eugaged, the side members Sbeing resilient and being slightly spread apart at the time of application of the guard to the head of the a blade and being released after their pintles 9l1ave been brought into registrationwith the sockets 10. At thispoint it will be understood, and particularly by'retereiue to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, that when the guard is swung to assume the posh tion shown in full lines in these figures, the arms 8 will extend downwardly respectively in front and-in rear of the front andrear edges of the blade of the ax, the guard member or body 6 extending longitudinally beside the cutting edge of its flange 7 located opposite and relatively close to the said edge. It will likewise be observed by reference to the said Figures'1 and 2, and particularly "to the dotted line showing therein, that the guard may be bodily swung outwardly and upwardly from its guarding or active positio11,"to an inactive position when it is desired to use the a in the customary manner. 1 order that. the guz'ird will be prevented from interfering in any way with the ordinary use of the ax, when it is adjusted to'the position shown in dotted lines in the said Figures 1 and 2, the head of the ax blade is formed in'one face with a groove orpocket indicated by the numeral 11, of a depth and width to accommodate the body member 6 and its flange 7, thus housing this portionof the guard flush with the surface of the said face of the head of the blade. Therefore, when the guard is adjusted to its inactive position, it will in no way hinder the use of the ax in the usual manner nor will it be liable tobecome against displacement,

damagedin the use of the ax.

In order that the guard may be held n either of its positions of adjustment and in a manner to prevent its displacement after it has assumed its adjusted position, the front and rear edges oftheax blade are formed each with two. seatsindicatedone by the numeral 12 and the other by the numeral 13, and the said seats extend respectively downwardly from and upwardly from the open end of the respect ve socket 1Q. Eac'h of the side members 8 of the guard 5 is formed, upon its. side which op.- poses the other side member and -111 the angle between its upper end portion and the pintles 9, with an inwardly laterally projecting lug 14; and, by reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be observed that when the guard member is swung clownwardly to position to guard the cutting. edge of the blade, hese lugs, through the resiliency of the side members 8, will snap into engagement in the seats 12 and thereby hold the guard in this position. When it is desired to use the ax, it is only necessary to grasp the guard and swing it outwardly and upwardly about the pintles 9 and to the dotted line position shown in Figures 1 and 2, where-uponthe said lugs 14 will first ride out of engagement in the seats 12, then over the edges of the blade head, and finally snap into, engagement.in the seats 13 to hold the guard in the last mentioned position. Thus, the guard may be readily and quickly swung into and out of guarding position and in either position will be securely held WVhen the guard is in guarding position,- itwill efieetually shield the cutting edgeof theaX blade,

the blade and'with and when it is in inactive position,-it will not in any way interfere with the ordinary use of the ax. I i

In that form of the invention shown in "Figure a of the drawings, the ax blade is indicated by the'numeral 15 and one of the sidemembers of the guard is indicated by the numeral 16, this member being formed with a crimp or bend 17 near its pintle por- Y tion which is indicated by the numeral 18,

and this bend or crimp is designed to en gage in the seats which are here indicated .by the numerals 19 and 20 and correspond to the seats 12 and 13. The functioning of the parts is precisely the same in both instances and the lugs and crimp may be arb trarily,

at its forward end is provided with a short tang '21 which issubstantially rectangular in form, as best shown inFigures 1 and 2 of the draw1ngs,and1s f ttedmto a socket 22 provided in the rear edge of the head of the ax blade, thetang being secured permanently in place by rlvets or other suitable se,

curing elements 23 secured through the head of, the blade and transversely through the said tang 21 The formation of the tang provides a shoulder 24 near'the forward end of the core shank 20, and this shoulder bears squarely against the rear edge of the head of the ax blade and, in this manner, a very secure union of the handle and blade is effected. At a point. intermediate its length the core shank 20 is abruptly reduced in diameter to provide a shoulder 25 and a straight cylindrical shank portion 26 of less. diameter than the shank 2O, it being observed that the portion 20 is slightly curved tov conform generally to the curvature of ax handles'ofthis type. The numeral 2? indicates a jacket body of aluminum which is cast about the core shank 20 and which gives bulk and contour to this portion of the a handle without materially increasing the weight of the handle. This jacket extends from the shoulder 24- to the shoulder 25,, and'a washer 28 is preferably fitted onto the reduced portion 26 of the core of the handle and is disposed to rest against the shoulder 25. The numeral 29 indicates a grip consisting of a body of any suitable material usually employed for this purpose such for example as fiber or leather, and

is further reduced at its end, as indicated by the numeral 32, and a shoulder 33 is thus provided, and the grip'29 terminates at the planeof this shoulder anda nut 34: is threaded onto thereduced portion 32 thus securing the button and grip upon the handle core. It will be evident at this point that the handle will be exceptionally substantial and durable and, notwithstanding its great strength, will be comparatively light in weight; Furthermore, du-e'to-the fact that the forward portion of the handle comprises metals possessing wholly different characteristics, and the further fact that the grip 2,9 is provided at the rear portion of the handle, vibration resulting from impact of the axe blade with material being chopped or cut, will be to a great extent,

absorbed and not transmitted to the hands of the user as is ordinarily the case.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is: v

l. The combination with an ax blade, of a guard for the cutting edge thereof comprising spaced side members pivoted to the blade intermediate the eye and the cutting edge, and a guard member supported by said side members and arranged, in one position of swinging adjustment of the guard, to

extend along and opposite to the cutting edge of the blade and, in the other position of adjustment, to lie beside one face of the blade.

2. The combination with an ax blade having a cutting edge at one end, and a handle extending from said blade, of va guard pivoted to said blade intermediate the cutting edge and handle for swinging movement from an operative position with a portion extending along and overlapping the cutting edge towards the other end of the blade to an inoperative position.

3. The combination with an ax blade having a cutting edge at one end, and a handle extending from said blade, of a guard pivoted to said blade intermediate thecutting edge and handle for swinging movement from an operative position with a portion extending along and overlapping the cutting edge towards the other end of the blade to an inoperative position, said guard when in the inoperative position having its edge protecting portion sea-ted against one side face of the blade.

The combination with an ax blade having a cuttingedge at one end, and a handle extending from said blade, of a guard pivoted to said blade intermediate the cutting edge and handle for swinging movement from an operative position with a portion extending along and overlapping the cuttin edge towards the other end of the blade to an inoperative position, said guard when in the inoperative position having its edge protecting portion seated in a groove formed edge, and a guard for the cuttingedge thereof comprising spaced side'meinbers. pivoted to, the blade, intermediate the eyeand the cutting edge, and a guard-member supported by said side members and arranged in one position of adjustment of the guard, to extend along and opposite to the cutting edgeof the blade, and in the other position of adjustmenh'to lie besideone face of the blade-,,the said face of the blade having a groove therein constituting a pocket to receive the said guard member in the latter position of adj ustment of the guard.

6. The combination with an ax blade, of a guard for the cutting edge thereof comprising spaced side members pivoted to the.

blade intermediate the eye and the'cutting side members and havin'ga portion arranged to extend along one side of the cutting edge of the blade and a curved flange arranged to extend opposite to and in spaced relation with respect to the'said cutting edge of the blade in one position ofadjustment of the guard, the guard member being arranged to lie beside one face of the blade in the other position of adjustment of the guard, the

said face of the blade having a groove therein constituting a pocket to accommodate the said guard member within the plane of the face of the blade.

7. In a device of the class described, in combination, an ax blade having sockets in its front and rear edges, and a guard for the cutting edge of the blade comprising side members and a guard membersupported thereby, the side members having pintles seating in the sockets and swingingly con necting the guardwith the blade whereby, inone position of swinging adjustment of the guard, the guard member will extend along and, shield the cutting edge Of the blade and, in another position of adjustment of the guard, will lie beside the blade at a. point-remote from said cutting edge.

8. Ida device of the class described, in combination, an ax blade havingsockets in its front and rear edges, and a guard for the cutting edge of the blade comprising side members and a guard member supported thereby, the side members having pintles seating in the sockets and swingingly connecting the guard with the blade whereby, in one position of swinging adjustment of the guard, the guard member will extend along and shield the cutting edge of the blade and, in another position of adjustment of the guard will lie beside the blade at apoint remote from said cutting edge, the blade being provided in one face with a pocket to accommodate the said guard member in the guard member supported by said I last mentioned position of adjustment of the guard. 1 1

9. In, adevice of the class described, in combination, an ax" blade having pivot sockets in its front and rear edges between the eye and the cutting edge, and provided in said edges with seats lea-ding above and below from each socket, and a guard for the cutting edge of the blade comp-rising side members and a guurdmember supported thereby, the side members having pintles seating in the sockets and swingingly connecting the guard with the blade whereby the guard may be swung to position -the guard member thereof beside the cutting edge, of theblad'e to shield the same and to Fosition the said guard member beside "the Jlade at a point remote from the cutting edgeofthe blade, and locking elements upon the sidemembers of the guard for engagement in the saidseats in ithepositions of ad justmentof the guard to hold the guard in such positions. I

In testimony whereof I afli-x my signature.

JOHN nionsn, 11. 8.1 

